How Ohio State’s Offense Has Changed from Braxton Miller to J.T. Barrett

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Even if the rest of Columbus is, Tom Herman isn’t one for “What could be?”

Which is why when asked how his unit would be different this season with the injured Braxton Miller starting in place of J.T. Barrett, the Ohio State offensive coordinator opted not to compare the past two Buckeye quarterbacks.

“I get that question quite a bit,” Herman admitted on Monday. “You guys like to deal in what ifs and hypotheticals. I like to deal in what is and reality. So I don’t think it would be much different.”

But as Herman’s answer continued, the coach speak eroded as he admitted that there are some plays that Miller’s presence allowed him to call and that Barrett’s presence doesn’t permit. “Obviously the home run ability of him when he tucks the ball and runs with it, whether on a design run, scramble, read, whatever, is going to be there when Braxton’s in and as opposed to when he’s not,” he relented.

Home run ability.

That seems to have been the phrase of choice for the Buckeyes staff on the many occasions that it’s been asked to discuss what the Ohio State offense misses without Miller at the quarterback position. After all, in two seasons under Urban Meyer, Miller compiled 2,339 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns, en route to twice being named the Big Ten’s MVP.

But even as Miller has stood on the sideline, nursing a season-ending torn labrum this year, the Buckeyes offense has hummed along under the direction of Barrett.

Through the first…

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